MINNESOTA UNITED | ANALYSIS
Saturday's MLS game at Allianz Field is shaping up to be something of an unfair fight. On one side, you'll have FC Dallas; on the other side, thanks to international call-ups and injuries and other factors, you'll have approximately half of Minnesota United.
The Loons had nine players called up to their national teams, as part of the FIFA-mandated international break. Add in Miguel Tapias, who's returned to Mexico to work on getting his green card, and a hamstring injury for DJ Taylor, and Minnesota could be missing an entire lineup's worth of players.
"I think as much as you can rest in the frustration of the whole situation, given that we are the standout example in MLS this week of players missing, I think we take it for what it is and really get our teeth stuck into trying to prepare this group for a difficult game," said manager Eric Ramsay. "We have sort of thrived on that need to be pragmatic, and I think that will hopefully bring the best out of us and the players."
At the moment, Minnesota is down to 15 first-team players that will be available for the game — and that includes Franco Fragapane, who was out injured last Saturday. Defender Hugo Bacharach may be on the squad, but has been out since April 13 with a meniscus tear, and Ramsay said the team wouldn't risk him as a starter.
That number also includes Caden Clark, who may have to play through a toe injury that had him limping and unable to complete the end of Tuesday's training session.
Ramsay did say that there was "a very outside chance" that Tapias could return in time to make the bench for the game, which would give them 16 first-team players available.
"It was quiet in the facility," said defender Devin Padelford. "It's almost sad. Like you walk in and you're like, where is everyone?"
If needed, the Loons also have seven players who are signed to MNUFC2, their MLS Next Pro affiliate, that would be eligible to sign short-term agreements and be available for Saturday's game.
Ramsay noted that the game would be an opportunity for players to come in and show off what they can do. He specifically singled out strikers Jordan Adebayo-Smith and Patrick Weah, since there's a chance that Tani Oluwaseyi could be called up to Canada's squad for Copa América.
"We want to make sure that come the end of the week, we've got ourselves in a position to be really competitive in the game," said Ramsay. "And I said to [the players] that if you get that perfect combination of the opposition really underestimating us, and us playing to our level or beyond our level, then it could be a really good day for us. So I'm sort of excited to see how it shapes up. I think we've got sort of everything to gain and not a great deal to lose."
Loons depth chart
First-team players available, by position (15):
Striker: Jordan Adebayo-Smith, Patrick Weah
Wide forward: Sang Bin Jeong, Bongokuhle Hlongwane, Franco Fragapane
Midfielder: Wil Trapp, Hassani Dotson, Moses Nyeman
Outside back: Caden Clark (questionable), Devin Padelford
Center back: Michael Boxall, Victor Eriksson, Morris Duggan, Hugo Bacharach (not as a starter)
Goalkeeper: Clint Irwin
International call-ups (9): Alejandro Bran (Costa Rica), Carlos Harvey (Panama), Teemu Pukki (Finland), Robin Lod (Finland), Dayne St. Clair (Canada), Tani Oluwaseyi (Canada), Joseph Rosales (Honduras), Kervin Arriaga (Honduras), Zarek Valentin (Puerto Rico)
Working on green card: Miguel Tapias ("very outside chance" to be included on the bench if he returns in time)
Injured: DJ Taylor
MNUFC2 players (8, 7 available): Fred Emmings (GK), Alec Smir (GK), Kage Romanshyn (MF), Finn McRobb (CB), Britton Fischer (CB), Molik Jesse Khan (MF), Rory O'Driscoll (MF), Loïc Mesanvi (is not eligible for a short-term agreement, since he's already played in two MLS games this season)
